CHARLES ALTOK OVERLOCK

From Mrs. Nell Overlook, Daughter-in-law

Recorded by Helen M. Smith, Field Reporter

Mr. Overlock was born in Bangor, Maine, in 1859, where he remained until he hd reached the age of eighteen, attending the public schools of his birthplace. In 1887 he went to Boston and there took up the carpenter trade, which he followed for four years in that city. In 1881 he went to Portland, Oregon, where he followed carpenter work for about a year. In 1882 he removed to Tombstone, Arizona where he found work at his trade plentiful.

In 1883 he abandoned this occupation in favor of cattle raising, which seemed to him to be the coming industry of this part of the state. He scoured a range in the Sulphur Spring Valley some twenty-five miles southeast of Tombstone. If he were alive he doubtless could tell many interesting experiences of the next ten years which he passed as a cattleman. Mr. Overlock was married in Tombstone in 1885 to Miss Anna Driscoll. There were three sons of this union, Harry, Alton, and Lowell.

The Tombstone of those days was something of paradox. One might meet desperados, gunmen, officers of the law, cowboys, miners, ladies, dance hall girls, all on one block in one of the main streets. There were one hundred and ten liquor licenses issued to stores and saloons in Tombstone in one year. Horse stealing was quite common, and no one who owned a good horse could be sure that its ownership would not suddenly change without benefit of law. Spectacular shooting affrays were quite common. Yet there is another side to the picture.

Most of the killing was among the lawless element. No one ever heard of a house robbed or a lady molested. One of the best surgeons in the territory resided at Tombstone. There were the finest lawyers and statesmen. There was a musical society, which once put on the opera, “Pinafore” to help raise funds for the construction of a church. Although they had to send to San Francisco for costumes, which proved exceedingly expensive, yet they cleared several hundred dollars for their project. The Bird Cage Theater was opened in 1881 by William Hutchinson, and enjoyed heavy patronage. They used to sell refreshments between acts, and move the seats back and dance after the performance.

All the gun battles in that part of the territory were credited to Tombstone, and even some which occurred in Texas and New Mexico. Of course there were gun fights there too, several of them notable ones. During the year in which John Clum served as mayor there were but three murders, considerably less than the number accredited to Tombstone by rumor.

John Clum came to Tombstone in February of 1880 with his wife and two year old son. He had sent a small press, some type, and other material necessary for printing a newspaper, by wagon freight. He founded the Tombstone Epitaph, which is still printed. At Christmas time of the same year a daughter was born to the Clums, but their rejoicing soon turned to sorrow, for Mrs. Clum died a week later and was buried in the old Boot Hill Cemetery. Mr. Clum remained in Tombstone for some time, to become one of its prominent and useful citizens. He was serving his year as mayor at the time of the Earp-Clanton feud; he afterward testified that he had himself instructed his marshall, Wyatt Earp, to fire first in any clash with outlaws, saying that an officer of the law was too valuable to take chances with lawbreakers and rustlers.

Mr. Clum was once leader of a posse of the Citizen’s Home Guard of Tombstone which started out to help get Geronimo after one of his “escapes” from captivity In the posse were such notable personages as Wyatt, Virgil, and Morgan Earp, Billy Breckenridge, Sheriff Bohan, Si Bryant, and others. They found the trail of the Indians comparatively fresh, and there was every reason to believe that they would be successful in their endeavor. But a heavy rainfall came up, which not only wiped out the tracks of the fugitives, but caused such heavy going for the horses that the project was necessarily abandoned, much to the dislike and disgust of Mr. Clum and others. Mr. Overlock could have told of this attempt in detail.

A paradox of Tombstone was Nellie Cashman, who opened Russ House, a miner’s hotel. She was a perfect lady, called the angel of the camp; yet there was nothing weak about her. Once there was to be a hanging in the courtyard. Some bright person conceived the idea of constructing a stage higher than the wall of the courtyard, and charging a dollar a seat for this “reserved” view of the hanging. Many people were indignant at this, but it remained for Nellie Cashman to act. She collected a group of miners with picks and axes, and they soon demolished those “reserved seats”. There was no exclusive view of the hanging after all.

There was no hospital in Tombstone, and Miss Cashman elected herself nurse and cared for sick and injured. Everyone contributed to help her projects. She could sell tickets to anything, and she frequently did.

Billy Breckenridge, deputy sheriff, once had a bad scare. They had just incarcerated a stage robber in the city jail. Brackenridge and Sheriff Behan were seated in the office one day, idly discussing the news of the day. Suddenly a gunshot sounded, and a bullet whistled past Billy’s ears. He drew and rushed to the open door, but could see no one. Then he noticed that the sheriff’s gun had slipped from his belt and fallen to the floor, discharging as it did so. Billy never kept his six-shooter full loaded after that—always put the hammer on an empty chamber.

The Tombstone of Mr. Overlock’s day was full of such incidents as these. In 1898 Mr. Overlock started a large retail business. In the next years he was identified with a number of business projects, all of which were successful. He sold his butcher business in 1896 and moved to Bisbee, where he remained until 1900. He was one of the organizers of the Bisbee Review, which newspaper is still in circulation. He was also identified with mining and other projects.

In the early 1900’s he sold his interests in Bisbee—one mine brought him eighty thousand dollars. The pioneer urge had him in its grasp again and he moved to Douglas, there to take a most active part in the founding and development of that city.

He located the town-site of Douglas and built the first residence. He developed the first water supply. He then turned his attention to the advancement of commerce, industry, and business in general. In 1901 he organized the Douglas Lumber Company and conducted it along lines of progress and expansion for a number of years. He was largely instrumental in securing a post-office for Douglas, and was named the first postmaster. When the city was incorporated he became the first mayor. It had been said of him that he literally founded the town and forced its development along material, educational, and political lines.

In 1907, with his son Harry, he commenced a real estate and brokerage enterprise which, with his usual business acumen, he made a prosperous and profitable concern.

In 1909 Mr. Overlock was appointed United States Marshall by President Taft, for the Territory of Arizona. He then took up his residence in Tucson in pursuance of his duty. When the territory was admitted to the union in 1912 he was reappointed to the same office. He served in this capacity until 1914 discharging his duties in his usual capable manner.

In 1915 he caused to be constructed at the corner of Fifteenth Street and G Avenue in Douglas, a business block in which he and his son Lowell established a grocery and feed business. This, too, prospered.

Mr. Overlock’s activities were not confined to this part of the county. He assisted in the founding of the Tucson Citizen, of which he became a stockholder. He was identified with mining for more than twenty years; and was president of the Progressive Mining Company located in the Oro Blanco district. He was a member of Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, a thirty-second degree Mason, a Knight Templar, and a Shriner. He was active in politics, a consistent Republican.

He loved pioneering for its own sake, caring little about his business and civic enterprises after their success became assured. His pleasure seemed in the conquering of obstacles and difficulties insuperable to a man of les determination and driving force.

His friends say that his friendliness was his chief characteristic. He never knew a stranger, but was at once at home with everyone in every station of life. He had a keen sense of humor, and was always laughing and joking. It has been said of him that Arizona owes to him the foundation, organization and civic development of a city; the advancement of business enterprises throughout the state; and able and efficient service as United States Marshall over a period of years. He was a man of the age—alert, enterprising, and resourceful—such a man as the time demanded for the up-building of a state.

Mr. Overlock died at his home in Douglas of angina pectoris. He was again serving as postmaster, of the city he had founded, when he was stricken. His illness lasted but a few hours.

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